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Radon
Testing

IHIC offers radon testing for
those interested in having their home tested for radon levels.

EPA-issued
Radon Measurement (RMP) protocols:

You
can rely on our radon testing procedures and the lab used to process the results
to be compliant with EPA-issued
Radon Measurement Protocols (RMP).

The minimum measurement period per
RMP is 48 hours. After which, I will retrieve the test canisters and
deliver them to the lab for processing. Your results will be sent to you
within 24 hours of retrieval.

Since radon can be a health
issue, I offer radon testing at reasonable rates.

-
$100 when included as part
of a home inspection.

-
$160
for radon testing only.

Measurement
Conditions:

To
ensure accurate testing please note the following measurement conditions:

·To theextentreasonable, all windows, outside vents, and external doors should be closed (except
for normal entrance and exit) for 12 hours prior to and during the measurement
period. The measurement period is 48 hours.

·Window fans and high-volume attic fans and should
not be operated 12 hours before or during measurements.

·Normal furnace or central air
conditioner operation is permitted.

·Testsshould not be conducted if severe
storms with high winds (greater than 30 mph) or rapidly changing barometric
pressure are predicted during the measurement period.

Accuracy
of radon testing in real estate transactions:

To
achieve accurate results, you must rely on the occupants of the home you are
testing to comply with the radon measurement conditions. Industry surveys
show that up to 30% of the radon tests in real estate transactions are subject
to some ventilation. You may want to drive by the home once or twice
during testing to ensure all doors and windows are kept closed; especially the
room/area where the testing canisters are placed.

Useful
Information About Radon

What
is it?

Radon
is a naturally occurring inert (not chemically active) radioactive gas formed
from the natural radioactive decay of radium and uranium found in the soil.
It is colorless and odorless, therefore you cannot see it, smell it, or feel it.
In the
U.S.
radon is measured in units call picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/L).

Where
is it?

Radon
is everywhere. It is in all homes, businesses and schools and even in the
open air outside. Therefore the issue is not the existence of radon, but
rather the concentration level of radon. The higher the concentration
levels the higher the health risk.

How
does radon get into the house?

All
houses leak air. As the air in a house warms, it rises to leak out the
attic openings and around the upper floor windows. This creates a small
suction at the lowest level of the house. This suction pulls the radon out
of the soil through minute openings that are common to every house. Since
a house is an enclosed space, concentrations of radon will accumulate and the
radon level will rise.

What
are the health risks?

An
increased risk of lung cancer is the only known health effect associated with
exposures to elevated radon levels. Radon does not cause any short-term
health effects, such as shortness of breath, coughing, headaches or fever.

Your
chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on:

·Whether you are a smoker, have ever smoked or are exposed to high
levels of secondhand smoke. Smokers have a significantly higher risk of
developing radon-induced lung cancer.

·The amount of radon present is in your home or workplace.

·The amount of time you spend in area with elevated radon levels.

What
are safe levels?

There
is no definitive answer to this question and estimates vary from expert to
expert as a well as country to country. Some say no level of exposure is
safe. Of course it is unrealistic to achieve zero levels of
concentration considering there is on average about 0.35 pCi/L of radon in the
outside air we breathe. In addition, there are no federal or state
standards mandating radon mitigation. However, the EPA does provide a
guideline for residential housing. It recommends radon mitigation action
be taken when the radon level is at 4 or more pCi/L.

The EPA’s action level of 4
pCi/L was determined, not by scientific tests, but rather by an extrapolation of
the health data of uranium miners. Some say the EPA is too extreme. That
is why the guide lines for safe low level radon varies so much (see table
below). It is safe to say that at the very least; radon levels below 20 pCi/L do not pose an immediate health risk. Also, any thing below 4
pCi/L
requires no action while anything above 20 pCi/L does require action. That
leaves the 4 to 20 pCi/L range in question as to safe level. The answer
depends on who you chose to believe is correct.

To illustrate the point and
help put this into perspective, I have included the guidelines for safe radon
levels as defined by other
organizations and countries below:

USA EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

4.0
pCi/L

Canada

21.6
pCi/L

Sweden

10.8
pCi/L

ICRP
(International Commission on Radiation Protection)

16.2
pCi/L

WHO
(World Health Organization)

10.8
pCi/L

NCRP
(National Council
on Radiation Protection)

8.0
pCi/L

What
are the predicted indoor levels in SE Michigan?

The
EPA has created a map of predicted average indoor radon screening levels to help
national, state, and local organizations in targeting their resources.
These maps are NOT intended to be used to determine if a home in a given zone
should be tested for radon. Any home could have a radon problem, including
homes in areas with a low radon potential. I have provided a list of the
EPA’s predicted indoor screening levels for the counties I serve below:

Counties that have a predicted
average indoor radon screening level:

less than 2
pCi/L

between
2 and 4 pCi/L

greater than 4
pCi/L

Macomb County

Oakland County

Washtenaw
County

St.
Clair County

Lapeer
County

WayneCounty

Livingston
County

How
serious is it?

There
is no question that high levels of radon are a serious health risk. By
high I mean radon in the hundreds of picoCuries. However, the effects of
low level radon are subject to debate. Because of conflicting information,
and the lack or universal agreement among scientists, the seriousness of low
level radon will have to be something you will need to determine for yourself.
In the
U.S.many people take the “play it safe” position and accept the EPA’s worst
case scenarios. That means even low levels are serious.

What
can be done about high levels of Radon?

Any
home can be fitted with a radon mitigation system that will reduce the levels to
below 4 pCi/L. This typically involves venting air from the foundation to the
exterior of the house. If your home has a sump pit then typically it is a simple
matter of making modifications to the sump pit to vent air as well as water. If
you do not have a sump pit then a suction pit will need to be installed. There
are a number of contractors who are certified and licensed to do such work.
Costs will vary based on conditions and contractor; however, the average
cost will range between $800 and $1,500.

Additional
considerations:

It
is important to note that a given level of radon does not affect everyone the
same. If you have one or more of the elevated risk factors below, you may
be more susceptible to the affects of radon and should be more concerned about
radon exposure:

·If you are a smoker, have been a smoker or exposed to a lot of
secondhand smoke.

·If your family has a history of lung cancer.

Also,
homes that have a dirt floor basement or are built over a dirt crawl may have
increased radon levels.